barbell bench press
POWERDouble Progression (Reps → Weight) · 3–5 repsRest 3 min
3 × 3
sets × reps
Plans
Upper/Lower 6 days/week ~43–54 min
Power & Hypertrophy 6-Day (PHUL)
This six-day version expands Brandon Campbell’s PHUL routine published in 2013. The first four sessions retain the familiar Upper Power, Lower Power, Upper Hypertrophy, and Lower Hypertrophy structure, while a second upper/lower hypertrophy pair increases training frequency and weekly volume. The additional six-day structure and automatic progression rules are hitPR adaptations, not part of the verified original template.
Who is this plan for?
- Experienced lifters who can reliably train six days per week
- Comfortable with the barbell bench press, squat, deadlift, bent-over row, and overhead press
- Already accustomed to higher-volume upper/lower training and three weekly exposures per body half
- Full gym with a barbell, dumbbells, cables, leg machines, and a pull-up station
How it works
- Six-Day Rotation: Upper Power, Lower Power, Upper Hypertrophy 1, Lower Hypertrophy 1, Upper Hypertrophy 2, Lower Hypertrophy 2. Upper and lower body are each trained three times per week.
- Power Days: The barbell bench press and bent-over row, plus the squat and deadlift, anchor the heavy work at 3–5 reps. The remaining movements use exercise-specific ranges from 5 to 15 reps.
- Hypertrophy Days: The first upper/lower pair stays close to Campbell’s published exercise selection and rep ranges. The second pair is a hitPR extension adding more pressing, pulling, shoulder, arm, and lower-body work, mostly in the 8–15 rep range.
- hitPR Progression: Weighted exercises use double progression within their individual rep ranges: build reps first, then add load and restart at the bottom. The pull-up increases reps instead.
- Failed Targets and Adaptation: For weighted exercises, hitPR reduces load by 10% after three failed targets; the pull-up reduces its rep requirement by two. Campbell does not prescribe a fixed double-progression or deload algorithm, so these rules are hitPR’s implementation.
Pros & Limitations
+ Combines heavy compound work with three upper- and three lower-body exposures per week
+ The first four sessions stay close to PHUL while a second hypertrophy pair distributes additional weekly volume
+ Every exercise has a working progression rule rather than remaining at a fixed workload indefinitely
− Six training days per week leave little scheduling flexibility when weekly availability changes
− Lower-body volume is very high, so the extra two sessions are not automatically useful if four training days already work well
− The six-day structure is a hitPR extension rather than Campbell’s published PHUL template
Muscles trained
Avg. hits per week · Primary 1.0 · Secondary 0.5
Front
Back
Quads
21
Triceps
17
Glutes
16.5
Biceps
15.5
Chest
15
Calves
14
Front Delts
13.5
Upper Back
13.5
Forearms
11.5
Lats
10.5
Rear Delts
10.5
Hamstrings
10.5
Side Delts
9
Adductors
9
Upper Traps
3
Lower Back
3
Plan Structure
Upper Power
7 exercises · 19 sets · ~54 min
dumbbell incline bench press
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 6–10 repsRest 2 min
3 × 6
sets × reps
barbell bent over row
POWERDouble Progression (Reps → Weight) · 3–5 repsRest 3 min
3 × 3
sets × reps
cable pulldown
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 6–10 repsRest 2 min
3 × 6
sets × reps
barbell overhead press
POWERDouble Progression (Reps → Weight) · 5–8 repsRest 3 min
3 × 5
sets × reps
barbell curl
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 6–10 repsRest 60 sec
2 × 6
sets × reps
barbell lying triceps extension skull crusher
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 6–10 repsRest 60 sec
2 × 6
sets × reps
Lower Power
5 exercises · 16 sets · ~43 min
barbell squat
POWERDouble Progression (Reps → Weight) · 3–5 repsRest 3 min
3 × 3
sets × reps
barbell deadlift
POWERDouble Progression (Reps → Weight) · 3–5 repsRest 3 min
3 × 3
sets × reps
sled 45° leg press
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 10–15 repsRest 2 min
3 × 10
sets × reps
lever seated leg curl
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 6–10 repsRest 60 sec
3 × 6
sets × reps
lever seated calf raise
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 6–10 repsRest 60 sec
4 × 6
sets × reps
Upper Hypertrophy 1
7 exercises · 21 sets · ~54 min
barbell incline bench press
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 2 min
3 × 8
sets × reps
dumbbell fly
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 60 sec
3 × 8
sets × reps
cable seated row
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 2 min
3 × 8
sets × reps
dumbbell one arm bent-over row
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 2 min
3 × 8
sets × reps
dumbbell lateral raise
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 60 sec
3 × 8
sets × reps
dumbbell incline curl
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 60 sec
3 × 8
sets × reps
cable pushdown
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 60 sec
3 × 8
sets × reps
Lower Hypertrophy 1
6 exercises · 18 sets · ~45 min
barbell front squat
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 2 min
3 × 8
sets × reps
barbell lunge
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 2 min
3 × 8
sets × reps
lever leg extension
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 10–15 repsRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
lever lying leg curl
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 10–15 repsRest 60 sec
3 × 10
sets × reps
lever seated calf raise
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 60 sec
3 × 8
sets × reps
sled 45° calf press
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 60 sec
3 × 8
sets × reps
Upper Hypertrophy 2
7 exercises · 21 sets · ~53 min
dumbbell bench press
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 2 min
3 × 8
sets × reps
pull-up
Rep ProgressionRest 2 min
3 × 8
sets × reps
dumbbell seated shoulder press
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 2 min
3 × 8
sets × reps
cable face pull
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 10–15 repsRest 2 min
3 × 10
sets × reps
dumbbell lateral raise
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 60 sec
3 × 8
sets × reps
dumbbell hammer curl
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 60 sec
3 × 8
sets × reps
dumbbell lying triceps extension
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 60 sec
3 × 8
sets × reps
Lower Hypertrophy 2
5 exercises · 16 sets · ~46 min
barbell romanian deadlift
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 2 min
3 × 8
sets × reps
sled hack squat
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 8–12 repsRest 2 min
3 × 8
sets × reps
dumbbell single leg split squat
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 10–12 repsRest 2 min
3 × 10
sets × reps
barbell hip thrust
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 10–15 repsRest 2 min
3 × 10
sets × reps
lever standing calf raise
Double Progression (Reps → Weight) · 10–15 repsRest 60 sec
4 × 10
sets × reps
Based on Brandon Campbell’s “Power Hypertrophy Upper Lower (P.H.U.L.) Workout,” published in 2013 on Muscle & Strength. The six-day structure, additional hypertrophy sessions, and automatic progression rules are hitPR adaptations. hitPR is not affiliated with Brandon Campbell or Muscle & Strength.
Original program on Muscle & StrengthTalk to your doctor before starting a new training program, especially if you have pre-existing conditions or haven't trained in a while. Start lighter than you think — good technique always comes before heavy weight.
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